Finance Assistant - RGU07431

RGU; Aberdeen City; Hybrid; GBP 23,000 - 30,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading UK university seeks a motivated Finance Assistant for its finance team. This pivotal role involves managing financial processes, supporting audits, and ensuring compliance. Candidates should have relevant accounting qualifications and experience, along with strong Excel and communication skills. Opportunities for hybrid working, generous leave, and benefits are also offered.

Benefits

Generous pension scheme

46 days annual leave

Onsite nursery

Sports centre access

Voluntary health benefits

Travel benefits

Qualifications

• Relevant experience in the financial or management accounts sections of a busy finance department.
• High level of discretion and integrity when handling confidential information.

Responsibilities

• Manage key balance sheet accounts including bank and cash.
• Assist with monthly and year-end account reconciliations.
• Support audits and ensure compliance with financial guidelines.

Skills

Proficiency in Microsoft Excel

Organisational skills

Numerical skills

Communication skills

Integrity

Education

HND level in a related subject

Degree in Accounting-based subject

Tools

Cedar

Job description

Job Summary

Robert Gordon University (RGU) is widely recognised as a distinctive part of Aberdeen and Scotland's education landscape. Every one of our employees makes their own unique and equally important contribution to our success, at every level of our operation.

We are looking for a motivated and detail-oriented Finance Assistant to join the Finance team within the University's financial services department. This is a key support role that ensures the smooth and accurate execution of day-to-day financial processes across the institution. You will assist in transactional duties according to the area assigned to including, but not limited to, the support of the reconciliation of accounts, journal entries, and month-end reporting. This will also involve handling queries from both the Schools and Departments.

In addition to transactional duties, you will support internal and external audits, help ensure compliance with university policies and relevant financial regulations and contribute to continuous improvement initiatives within the department. A strong grasp of financial procedures, a high level of accuracy, and the ability to manage multiple priorities in a dynamic academic environment are essential.

In keeping with RGU's commitment to work/life balance you will have the opportunity to work from home for a portion of the working week and also benefit from a generous pension scheme, 46 days annual leave (including statutory days) an onsite nursery and sports centre, as well as a range of voluntary health and travel benefits.

We are committed to attracting and engaging a diverse range of staff and fostering a culture where everyone feels welcome, comfortable to express their ideas, and can reach their full potential. For more information, please visit Our Diverse Workforce pages.

To apply, please submit your CV along with a cover letter detailing your suitability for the role against the requirements set out in the person specification.

Job Description

RESPONSIBLE TO: Senior Management Accountant

RESPONSIBLE FOR: No Supervisory reponsibilities

PURPOSE OF POST: Ensuring the smooth and accurate execution of day-to-day financial processes across the institution.

PRINCIPAL DUTIES:

Assist with the management of key balance sheet accounts including bank and cash at hand.
Maintain accurate records of financial transactions in compliance with university policies including income, accruals and deferrals.
Assist with cash duties as required including the move to a cash free University.
Assist with monthly and year-end account reconciliations.
Assist with the preparation of audit files and the year end audit process.
Help to monitor department, schools and research budgets as applicable, flagging discrepancies and providing summaries to finance staff or staff outwith the finance team.
Liaise with staff in the Schools and Departments to help with financial queries and provide summaries where applicable of significant variances or areas of investigation.
Support audits and help ensure financial compliance with internal and external guidelines.
Utilise university finance systems for data entry and reporting.
Assist with ad hoc financial projects, reporting, and data analysis as required.

Person Specification

ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS

Qualifications and Professional Memberships

Educated to at least HND level in a related subject and/or the relevant accounting experience.

Knowledge and skills

Proficiency in Microsoft Excel and financial software systems.
Excellent organisational, numerical, and communication skills.
High level of discretion and integrity when handling confidential information.

Experience

Relevant experience working in the financial or management accounts sections of a busy finance department.

DESIRABLE REQUIREMENTS

Qualifications and Professional Memberships

Degree in Accounting-based subject.

Experience
Use of Cedar.
Experience in a financial or administrative support role, preferably in a higher education or public sector environment.

Behaviours

Behaviour 1: Communication - Ability to receive, understand and convey information requiring careful explanation and information of a complex or conceptual nature, in a clear and accurate manner

Behaviour 2: Service Delivery - Experience of giving customers a positive and satisfactory service, by providing accurate and up to date knowledge of services available in own and related areas of work

Behaviour 3: Initiative and Problem Solving - Experience of using initiative and creativity to resolve problems, identifying practical and suitable solutions.

Behaviour 4: Analysis and Research - Experience of identifying and using a range of sources to produces reports that combine different types of data